Employee burnout among the US workforce remains high, new research has revealed. 

Although burnout has dropped since the pandemic two years ago (58% in August 2020), it remains high hovering at 45%, confirmed the findings from Eagle Hill Consulting. Younger workers (52%) and women (48%) continue to report the highest levels of burnout. 

Workers who are experiencing burnout cite their workload (51%), staff shortages (45%) and juggling personal and professional life (42%). A large share of workers (67%) say a four-day work week would alleviate stress, followed by a decreased workload and increased flexibility (both at 65%), and continuing to work from home (56%).

AI STRESS

When asked about Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), most workers (62%) indicate they do not expect that the nascent technology will impact their stress levels at the job. Yet, a growing body of research indicates that when properly deployed, AI can help improve worker efficiency and productivity. The report also showed that millennials (30%) and male employees (27%) are most likely to say that AI can help reduce job stress. 

“It’s good news that worker burnout levels are steadily trending downward since the high stress days of the pandemic,” stated Eagle Hill Consulting’s President and CEO Melissa Jezior.  “But employers shouldn’t be complacent when it comes to taking action to reduce worker burnout. Burnout levels are still too high and could inch upward as more workers are required to return to in-person work. While employees value in-person work, they have expressed concerns about work-life balance and commute times when they are in the workplace.”

Jezior believes the potential impact of AI on stress levels is also an important issue to watch as more companies rollout Generative AI. “Handled well, AI has the potential to help workers get more done in a shorter amount of time while creating more value for their organisations. But handled poorly, it could increase rather than decrease worker stress,” explained Jezior.

BURNOUT CHALLENGES

Among those who experience burnout due to staff shortages, 84% said the impact is from covering the workload for unfilled positions. Four out of 10 (39%) cited helping others learn their job, while 36% said it’s training new hires, and 22% cited recruiting and interviewing new hires.

Employees who report burnout are less comfortable telling their manager or employer that they feel burnt out, compared to six months ago. In fact, 57% of employees said they’re open to the conversation; which is down 5% from last year (August 2022). Nearly a third of the workforce (32%) plan to leave their job in the next 12 months.

REDUCING BURNOUT & STRESS

When asked how to reduce burnout, 67% of workers said a four-day work week would help. Other solutions included:

• Increased flexibility (65%)
• Decreased workload (65%)
• Better health and wellness benefits (60%)
• Working from home (56%)
• Reduced administrative burdens (53%) 
• More on-site amenities (50%) 
• Ability to relocate or work from multiple locations (39%)

Click here for more information about the survey.

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